Christmas in the Clique
by serenity-seas
Summary: The pretty committee has entered high school, and for once, is not on top, but it doesn't stop them from destroying anyone in their way, Claire is determined to get a kiss from Cam, one way or another. But will the Clique come out on top this time?
1. Chapter 1

"Christmas Wish Lists out, please," Massie Block ordered, tapping one manicured fingernail (purple of course. Massie thought purple was a royal color- meaning she _had_ to wear it.)

Her friends quickly took out wishlists from their purses or pockets (Claire) and set them in front of them on Massie's floor.  
"Alicia first," Massie said. The beautiful Spanish beauty handed Massie her list silently, and Massie carefully read her beta's wish list.

**Coach Bags/Wristlets**

**2 pairs of UGG Boots**

**Clothes  
Cash**

**A trip to Spain**

Massie wrinkled her nose at the last item. She didn't know why Alicia would want to visit Spain again, where she would surely hang out with her thief cousin Nina, whose previous and only trip to Westchester had almost ruined Massie's life.

She stamped the paper, and Alicia smiled. Massie smiled back and glanced down at her new stamp, which she had custom-ordered off the Internet. It was amazing, really, swooping glittering script in which read ALPHA APPROVED. Of course, it was purple, and Massie knew that if she took it to school at Briarwood Octavian Country Day, everyone would surely have their own customized stamps by two weeks later.

"Thanks," Alicia said, carefully tucking the wish list safely in her Prada bag.

"Dylan," Massie said.

"I don't have a wish list. Give me cash and something from Tiffany and Co., and I'm set." Dylan burped, her bouncy red curls fanning around her face.  
"Fine." Massie reached over and stamped Dylan's hand. "Approved."

"Hey!" Dylan giggled.

"Kristen," Massie motioned to the blonde, who nervously handed her list to Massie. Kristen wrapped her Hollister sweatshirt tightly around her and waited. Massie said, "Kristen, are you wearing Hollister?" She despised chicks who wore those poser-wannabe brands.  
"It was all I had," Kristen said quietly, blushing a little. Massie shrugged, letting it go. Kristen, like Claire, was poor, and submitted to Massie's old handoffs, but recently Massie was out of handoffs, so they were forced to fend for themselves.

Massie looked at the list, which was short and written neatly in Kristen's thin handwriting.

"A laptop?" Massie asked. "Your mom's going to get you a laptop?"  
"I told her it was for school," Kristen smiled.  
"Genius!" Massie stamped the paper and handed it back to a beaming Kristen. Kristen was such a bookworm, her mom would probably believe her, too.

"CLAIRE!" Massie screeched, tossing Claire's list up in the air. "YOU WANT A DS AND _UNDERWEAR _for Christmas?!"  
The other girls shrieked with laughter.  
"What?" Claire blushed burgundy and snatched the list up from the floor. "This is Todd's. Mine's on the other side."  
Once the hysterical laughter had subsided, Massie read aloud, "Emu Boots, an iPod touch, and clothes. Okay," and stamped the paper.  
"Thanks," Claire said, admiring the sparkly letters that now framed the top of the crinkly notebook paper.  
"Whew," Alicia said, rolling onto her belly, "for a second there, I thought you might have been a boy, Claire."

"Oh my god," Kristen panted, "that's so funny, Alicia." She cracked up again.

"So funny," Dylan burped again, and then the whole group was cackling, even Massie.  
"Stop, stop," Massie panted, breathing deeply. "I can't breathe. My sides hurt…" She started laughing again, silent gusts of laughter escaping from her glossy lips. She clutched her sides and rolled around on the floor, making the other girls laugh even harder. Claire smiled so wide her mouth hurt, and only one thought flashed through her mind: _This is what friendship is about. _

* * *

"Leesh," Massie said, lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. The group was in their traditional spoke wheel sleeping bag set up; Massie could feel the weight of Dylan's thick red hair lying on hers as it fanned out in the small circle in the center.  
"Mmm?" Alicia moaned sleepily. Sleep was falling down on her harder then New York December snowflakes, and she felt her eyelids get heavy, as if she had just tripled the amount of eye shadow on them.

"Do you still like Josh?" It wasn't as if Massie liked him, but it was such a sleepover LBR question that Alicia almost gasped.  
"Yeah why?"  
"Just wondering," Massie yawned.  
Alicia kicked Kristen.  
"Ow!" complained Kristen, rubbing her shin. "What?"

"How's Dune?" Alicia giggled. Since Massie asked about Josh, it had given her permission to discuss crushes further.

"We broke up," Kristen said, burying her face in the pillow. Alicia wasn't sure if it was because she was sad or just really, really tired.

"That's okay," Alicia said nicely, "he wasn't very much of a HART, anyways."

"I know," Kristen said to her pillow.

"Claire and Cam, sitting in a tree," Alicia quietly sang, nudging Claire with her painted toenails.

Claire giggled. She was surprised the Pretty Committee was tired already. It was only midnight, and back in Florida, Claire, Sarah, Sari and Mandy had practically gone to bed and then had to wake up minutes later.

K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Claire thought to herself. Cam had kissed her before, but it had just been little bird pecks on the lips, barely even touching, and now that Claire was in ninth grade, she really wanted a _real_ kiss. And she was going to get one.


	2. Chapter 2

**The first day of high school. Claire felt safe as she rode on the back of Cam's bike. It reminded her of eighth grade. Mostly everyone would go to Benton; it was just like BOCD, but for older kids.  
Claire hugged Cam's distressed leather jacket tighter and inhaled Drakkar Noir, his cologne. He was still wearing it, and that was even more comforting. Claire remembered the times where she had loved and hated that smell. It was just so **_**Cam. **_

**Cam pulled in the student parking lot, which was mostly dotted with senior and junior's cars, but a few familiar bikes were nestled in among sleek shiny BMW's and cute Mini Coopers. **

**Claire thought it was cool Cam had a bike, which was almost a car. What was even cooler was that her Mom let her ride on it. "Who do you have first?" Claire asked Cam, after he had given her his usual little kiss. Usually it would have made Claire swell with pride, but ever since she had thought about real kisses at Massie's sleepover, it hadn't been the same. **

"**I have, uh, Hawthorne," Cam said, holding Claire's hand as they bravely walked to the front of the school, tall, experienced students swarming around them.**

**Benton looked like a castle or capitol building, with long columns and stone fountains, and Claire knew it cost a lot of money to go here, and her parents were struggling to pay for the expensive tuition, refusing William and Kendra, Massie's parents, to pay for half. The Blocks barely winced at the price, but Claire knew it would really be rude to accept their offer.**

**Claire smacked a hand to her forehead. "Oh no! I forgot! I promised I'd meet Massie." She apologized. "I'm sorry."  
"its fine," Cam smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Claire received the peck and bit her lip and looked away, pretending to scan for Massie.  
"I'll see you at lunch?" Claire asked hopefully.**

"**Yeah," Cam said, waving as he braved the hallways alone.**

"**Bye," Claire said, giving his hand a final squeeze. Although she loved Cam and was so thankful to have a boyfriend, Claire thought it was okay for her to act a little selfish and want more then bird pecks.  
She defiantly stomped down the stone steps to the large willow tree smack in the center of the sprawling lawn, which was strewn with colorful autumn leaves.**

"**Hey!" Claire smiled brightly when she saw the Pretty Committee already nestled under the tree.  
"You're late," Massie said flatly, but then she smiled. "Nice outfit. 9."  
"Thanks," Claire never expected Massie to say that to her, but she did think she looked pretty: skinny jeans, a white blazer and a navy tank with a gold necklace and kitten heels. She had saved up all summer to buy it, and although her mom hadn't been pleased with the price tag, Claire had spent her own money, so it didn't matter.  
Massie smoothened down her violet dress and said, "Rate, please."  
"Definite 10," Alicia beamed. She didn't want Claire to replace her as beta; after all, Massie had just given Claire a 9. She had **_**never **_**given **_**anyone**_** a 9, not even Alicia.  
"Ten," Agreed Dylan and Kristen, who looked as chic as ever. Dylan hugged her quilted tote. "What's your schedule?"  
"Hawthorne, Maxi, Rose, Gable, Dune, and Luss," Massie said, looking bored. **

"**Those sound like commercial names! Well, I don't know. Just really fancy." Kristen said.  
"Hey!" Claire realized. "Cam has Hawthorne, too."  
Suddenly she got the terrible feeling Massie was going to steal Cam away from her. It wouldn't be hard. She was a 10. But then she told herself Cam liked her, not Massie, and it only made her feel a little better.**

**The girls studied their schedules. "I have second hour with you, Mass!" Alicia giggled, hugging Massie lightly.**

"**Hey, me too!" Claire said, and Alicia's smile faltered, but Claire didn't notice.**

"**I have fourth hour with you," she told Kristen.  
"Great," Kristen groaned.  
"What?" Claire asked, frowning. "You don't want me in your class?"  
"No," Kristen shook her head, "maybe you can help me. That's science, my worst subject, and I have to get an A for my scholarship." **

"**Sure," Claire reassuringly patted Kristen on the shoulder. She had gotten an A- last year, and a 3.9 GPA. Her mom had been so proud.**

"**EHMAGOD!" Massie yelled.  
"What?" All the girls turned. **

"**We have a class together!" Massie shrieked. "All of us!"  
"Yay, yay, yay!" The girls jumped up and down.  
"Fifth hour," Massie breathed. "and lunch. Good."  
"Let's go," Alicia said and hitched her tote on her shoulder. "Or we'll be late."  
"Okay," Massie instructed. "'Evacuate the Dance Floor by Cascada.'" As they started walking, Claire felt happy. Everything they did together reminded her of eighth grade. **

**Massie abruptly stopped after the first line, and Claire ended up walking two steps farther then the others. Sorry, she mouthed and quickly stepped back in line.**

"**Ehmagod!" Massie whisper-shouted. "Why isn't anybody looking at us?"  
"It's as if we're total…nots!" Alicia panicked.**

"**No way! That will never happen." Massie stamped a Tory Burch ballet flat-ted foot. "Let's keep going."  
They started over and then with a princess like gesture (well, Massie would call herself a queen), Massie delicately parted ways with the group in the center hallway, flitting gracefully off somewhere like a fairy. Alicia pirouetted off next, her silky hair flying out behind her. Kristen and Dylan ran off, giggling, and Claire trudged to her first class, wishing she could be as graceful as Massie and Alicia, who took dance lessons and who would surely herald the freshman dance team, if Massie didn't declare it total LBR territory.**

**Claire entered Mrs. Bennett's room and sank down in a seat by the window, glancing out to a picterquese scene of the front lawn. She knew this wouldn't be the only day she'd be staring off into it. **

"**Hey."  
Claire turned around to find Josh, Alicia's boyfriend, next to her. He smiled lightly.  
"You don't have a New York Yankees cap on," Claire realized. She had never seen him without one, actually.  
Josh grinned, exposing little white fangs on the sides of his mouth. "Yeah, school dress code," he shrugged.**

**Claire's mind wandered back to when she and Josh had kissed. She had never told anyone, especially Alicia, who, if found out, would probably poke out Claire's eyes with a sharp stiletto.  
That had been a real kiss, Claire thought bitterly. It had **_**almost **_**been a make out, but that would be too far. Not even Massie had made out with anyone; and Claire didn't feel comfortable with being the first one.**

**If Josh remembered, it didn't show. After all, he had fallen under Alicia's exotic beauty, and once in, it was hard to get out. **

**Josh was pretty cute, Claire thought, looking at him. He was busy rummaging around in a backpack to notice. She liked the way his hair fell cutely in his eyes…**

**What? Claire wanted to slap herself. She liked **_**Cam, **_**not Josh. She was **_**so **_**in love with Cam, not Josh. She had never felt a spark with Josh. Had she? **


	3. Lunch

After 3 hours of receiving forms and writing down how their summer was, The Pretty Committee met for freshman lunch. Now that they were in high school, they were going to have to find a new table to claim as theirs, and it wasn't going to be easy. It involved getting their early and shoving through the sweaty crowd at the cafeteria doors. _Gah-ross! _

Thankfully, by the time Claire arrived, the rest of her friends had sat down at a table. It was by the huge glass window, with a sprawling view of the front lawn. By far the best table.

Claire smiled at them, making her way across the cafeteria. She admired the sushi and salad bar, the fro-yo machine, the soda machine, the sandwich and pasta station, the snack stand, and the pizza counter. This place had everything!

When she finally made it to the table, she sat down on the bench next to Kristen, on the outside. Dylan was on the other side of Kristen, on the other edge. Massie was across from Claire, and Alicia was next to her.

"I already hate this school." Massie groaned. "I already have homework!"

"Seriously, who gives homework on the first day?" Alicia agreed.

"Alicia, did you see Josh yet?" Dylan asked, spearing her sushi with a fork.

"No." Alicia pouted. "We don't have any classes together!"

"That sucks." Claire nodded sympathetically. Alicia didn't respond.

The whole table was quiet for some reason after that. Kristen and Dylan nibbled on their food, Massie flipped through the most recent issue of Teen Vogue, and Alicia became fascinated with her French mani.

Claire laughed nervously. "What did I miss?"

Massie's head snapped up. Her amber eyes spoke to Claire's navy ones silently: _I'll tell you at home. _Claire nodded and began to eat her salad.


	4. Chapter 4

Claire only remembered at about 7 o' clock that Massie had to tell her something.

"Mass?" She asked from her sleeping bag on the floor of Massie's bedroom. She loved sleeping at Massie's- it was a daily sleepover, but her back was killing her. Hopefully the guest house would be remodeled soon.

"What?" Massie didn't look up from her MacBook.

"What was the thing you had to tell me? At lunch?" Claire sat up.

Massie sighed. "Well, Alicia doesn't really like you."

Claire was hurt. "Why?"

"She thinks you're going to be the new beta." Massie explained.

"But that's bull! She knows she's the beta!" Claire cried.

"I know. I told her that. But I don't care if she doesn't believe me." Massie shrugged. "You should be happy. She see's you as a threat." She went back to typing on her Mac.

Claire sighed and lay down. She did feel flattered, a little. After all, Alicia was the prettiest girl in their group, even more than Massie, and she was jealous of her. Claire smiled slightly and snuggled into her sleeping bag.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for reviews! I work really hard on this story and I'm extremely thrilled to know I do Lisi Harrison some justice! Now onto Chapter 5! Enjoy~ Oh, and tell me, do you like all the chapters in Claire's POV, Massie's, alternating, or maybe in another characters? Let me know!**

**MASSIE'S POV**

Massie awoke to light shining in from the windows. Groggily she sat up and yanked off her face mask. Claire was snoring softly on the floor of her bedroom. The sun was shining through and it was a beautiful day. Massie stumbled out of bed and muttered, "Claire, wake up.", before blasting the shower and being embraced by hot water.

By the time Claire finally rose, grumbling, Massie had already gotten out of the shower. She began to curl her hair as Claire tumbled into the bathroom. Massie wasn't too fond of sharing her bedroom, much less her shower, but she didn't really want Claire to move to Florida, either.

Both the girls managed to scarf down some breakfast before Isaac took them on their usual routine to pick up Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen. They gossiped all the way to Benton. Once they hopped out of the Range Rover, all eyes flew to Massie, ready to rate her outfit. Massie confidently put a hand on her hip, knowing she was a 9 at the least.

Her silky teal tunic hugged her body and accentuated her tiny waist with a silver belt. She wore black leggings underneath and her long legs disappeared into black heels. Her hair had been curled into luscious waves, and she had opted for silver shining stud earrings.

"You look great!" Alicia said, too over-enthusiastically. "10!"

"10," agreed Kristen and Dylan. Claire nodded, too busy scanning for Cam on the student-packed lawn.

"See you at lunch." Massie waved slightly and sauntered off casually up the huge stone steps. Claire was always jealous how she never looked nervous and had so much self confidence.

The rest of the girls parted ways.

**CLAIRE'S POV**

Claire had taken her spot at their table. She had heard Dylan had lunch detention, so she wasn't expecting her, but she was surprised when none of the girl's showed up. She was so embarrassed, realizing how LBR-ish she looked sitting by herself. She then felt angry, wondering why all her friends had ditched her. She looked around for any other people to sit with. Layne was gone, out of school with the flu. She didn't spy Cam's dirty blonde hair either. Finally, like a glimmer of light at the end of a dark tunnel, Claire spotted a good friend of hers. She walked over, said her hello's, and took her place next to Josh Hotz.


	6. Alicia's POV

ALICIA'S POV

The girls (minus Claire) sat in the Starbucks just off campus. Dylan slurped her vanilla latte while Massie impatiently drummed her fingers on the table and staring out the window. "Where the heck is Kuh-laire?" She snapped. "Alicia, you texted her right?"

"Yeah. Maybe she didn't want to come? I know for a fact she had her phone." Alicia lied. She hadn't texted Claire. She wanted just one day where she could be Massie's beta all by herself and not have her status ruined by Claire, who was _always _with Massie. It had gotten seriously annoying. Alicia had worked far too long to become beta, and she wasn't going to let Keds-wearing Claire ruin it for her. It was kinda fun imagining Claire sitting like an LBR at a lunch table by herself anyway.

"Yeah, whatever." Massie agreed.

"Kristen, why did you get an ice cap? Hate those." Alicia said.

"I like them." Kristen twirled her straw.

"I'm getting another latte." Dylan stood up. "I need caffeine if I want to stay awake in Biology."

Massie sipped her peppermint mocha, clearly annoyed. She was probably thinking why Claire had stood them up. Alicia's plan on getting Claire kicked out of the Pretty Committee was working.


	7. iChat

Claire stared at the bright screen on her MacBook ( a gift from Massie.) She rubbed her eyes tiredly and dimmed the screen to avoid waking Massie, who was sleeping in her bed. She quietly closed her English paper. It could wait until tomorrow. She logged onto her iChat, hoping Cam was online, but he wasn't, which was surprising, considering he went to bed at 2 in the morning and it was only midnight. Claire waited a few minutes, hoping he would pop online, but he didn't. Sighing, she clicked on JoshRulez.

Clairebear123: Hey Josh

JoshRulez: Hey :) Whats up?

Clairebear123: Do u know where Cam is? He isn't online…weird

JoshRulez: no sorry. am I that bad to talk to? lol

Clairebear123: no not at all(:

So how are things with u and Alicia?

JoshRulez: idk…i might break up with her

Clairebear123: Why?

JoshRulez: i like someone else…

Clairebear123: plz tell me! :) i wont tell anyone promise! Alicia doesn't like me, anyways!

JoshRulez: rlly?

Clairebear123: yeah! so who is it?

JoshRulez: idk….

Clairebear123: u can trust me :)

JoshRulez: okay, promise you wont tell?

Clairebear123: absolutely. not a soul

JoshRulez: fine…I like massie


End file.
